Nº 9 2013 > Forum programme themes

Day 2: 20 November

The Internet of Everything is quickly becoming one of the hottest topics for the global communications community. It is at the centre of convergence of ICT and traditional communications in otherwise unconnected commercial structures. The consumer market is the darling of today, but the business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), government-to-business (G2B) and government-to-citizen (G2C) connections of tomorrow in the form of the Internet of Everything will be the future. Less than 1 per cent of the potential trillions of devices and sensors are connected today. The challenge for the industry will be to deliver the connection of the future — with sound business goals that benefit society — on a secure and reliable platform.

Education transformation: importance of ICT in 21st century education

Today’s students live in a world of global competition, technology-fuelled innovation and rapid change that requires new skill-sets for problem solving, collaborative learning and critical thinking. The integration of information and communication technologies in the teaching and learning process helps in acquiring these new skills, both inside and outside of the classroom. Given the importance of accelerating ICT to transform education, what barriers need to be overcome? How can we best take advantage of technologies that have successfully promoted learning and led to thriving communities around the world?

New opportunities in voice and messaging

The traditional telephony format for voice is at the end of its life (or is it?). What is certain from analysts is that a new post-telephony era is beginning. Understanding this opportunity is vital, especially as premium margins rapidly erode as a result of competition and arbitrage from OTT service providers. It is time to explore the main drivers of user value for voice.

Education transformation: from vision to action

No matter what the vision for a good educational system, no one single action can make it a reality. Transforming education to meet current global competition is a complex challenge requiring strong leadership from government as well as public-private partnerships with a variety of ecosystem partners. It also requires a technology infusion coupled with the right training for teachers. National and regional educational transformation projects can provide useful experience in this area.

Mobile technology and productivity in the enterprise

Mobile apps have the potential to transform the way people do business, making workforces more mobile, responses instantaneous and giving large volumes of people access to back office data through “bring your own device”. A mobile first approach to business processes and design can take user experience to another level inside the enterprise and solve real business problems. Mobile interfaces provide detailed insights and analytics never before seen on any device or interface. Consumer-centric user experience can provide insights into how to engage employees.

How can world citizens ensure their privacy in a digital world?

Interconnected electronic devices and applications are collecting a multitude of data on individual citizens — everything from where you are and have been, who you have communicated with, when you are active, how you spend your time, and what your interests and personal preferences are. This information is now being collected and analysed by business and governments. What should citizens do and what are their rights? What should be the role of government and business? And how can this role be translated into laws and international standards?

The Internet of Everything based on IPv6

Networking people, processes, data and things into an all-embracing Internet will, in the next 10 years, generate a value of more than USD 14 trillion, touching all sectors of the economy. An Internet of Everything world will be more relevant and valuable than ever before, turning raw information into knowledge and creativity into practical innovations. An unprecedented opportunity lies ahead for businesses, individuals and society.

The size of the digital data universe is increasing exponentially. Between “big data” and “open data” lies an immense data mine, waiting to be exploited. The technology that will enable this larger-scale communication among all of these objects and data is the new Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6).

Examples of the use of the Internet of Everything include smart grid, smart buildings, connected health care and patient monitoring, smart factories, connected education, smart transport, connected marketing and advertising, smart environment and agriculture, and connected gaming and entertainment. IPv6 pioneers from the Asia region have already built up a store of experience on the transformational and life-changing economic and societal impacts of the Internet of Everything.

Big data, big brother?

Big brother is watching us. Recent revelations about the practices of security agencies tell us so. But how concerned should we be? Should we accept reassurances that no one has the time or inclination to wade through vast oceans of data just to monitor our activities? Or should we recognize that we have entered the era of big data analytics in which computers tirelessly sift through huge data sets searching for trends and patterns?

Analysing those patterns can increase efficiency and competitive advantage — allowing machine parts to be replaced just before they fail. But it also challenges privacy protection and raises the spectre of penalties based on propensities. Big data predictions could result in punishments being imposed even before a crime has been committed. Judging people on what we predict they might do challenges the notions of justice and free will underpinning many societies. How can we take advantage of big data analytics without destroying the fabric of society?

Education transformation: financing e‑learning programmes

Using technology to improve access to high-quality education is a must for the 21st century but the crucial question is how to fund such critical and multidisciplinary projects. Transforming and adapting education to the new challenges should be approached as a strategic investment for a country and its citizens. It is the government’s responsibility to catalyse internal resources and collaborate with private industry to make it happen.

Digital Africa — the economic impact of the Internet

It is estimated that the Internet contributed around USD 15 billion to gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012 across 14 African countries — South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Algeria, Morocco, Angola, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Ethiopia. Private consumption is the main driver, while public and company investment lag behind investment in more developed countries. There are opportunities for growth, depending on the maturity of the Internet ecosystem. Different stakeholders (governments, policy-makers and business leaders) can play a role in increasing the economic impact of the Internet in Africa.

Protecting the individual in an increasingly connected world of big data

The maturing of social networking, combined with the power of computing devices and reduced cost of communication, has made it possible for others to collect and use our personal information. This is now being done, with or without our awareness or consent. This complex matter requires careful consideration by all stakeholders, including regulators and legislators. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that some societal benefits have been achieved by harnessing big data. But there must be a balance between privacy and social benefit. In a global digital community, we need to be clear about whose rules apply — and to whom.

Building telecommunication applications within telecommunication companies

As the profitability of voice services continues to decrease, telecommunication companies have invested massively in value-added services such as Internet-Protocol television (IPTV), video-on-demand (VoD), OTT apps, mobile services or web portals — but with often disappointing results. How can telecommunication companies change focus and funnel investment in value-added services as a winning strategy?

Telecommunication companies are being challenged by OTT messaging services and social networking apps — in many areas the new digital landscape is now dominated by OTT players. How are telecommunication companies responding? What can be learned from the reactions of operators and the experience of media companies? And what are the most important new technological developments underpinning future value-added services?

Transforming education: content that matters

Recent studies indicate that broadband-enabled technologies can improve the effectiveness of instruction and enhance learning outcomes. To achieve that outcome requires 21st century students to be sophisticated consumers, interpreters and users of content. Schools need to equip students with a set of new skills that enable them to better compete in the digital era. Content plays a key role in the new teaching and learning environment. According to these studies, broadband is an essential vehicle for delivering content and tools that can be used to spur student engagement, enhance learning outcomes, facilitate collaboration and innovation among educators, and enable cost savings in the administration of education. How must traditional educational content evolve to meet the new requirements of the digital era and help students acquire 21st century skills?

Potential transformative impact on Africa of the Internet and digital technology

Affordable technologies can help to accelerate the way Africa addresses a number of socio-economic challenges. Digitization can yield leapfrogging effects that can disrupt current value chains, transforming the way Africans access or use services. What benefits do such leapfrogging effects bring? There is a potential to transform financial services, retail and health care. Many interesting experiments are being conducted in these areas, and there are several success stories. What actions need to be taken for some of these experiments to reach full scale and truly transform lives?

From voice to data to cloud: transitioning the telecommunication company business model

The world of texts and telephony brought about a huge global telecommunication boom. Today with the arrival of OTT services, returns from many telecommunication operators barely cover their cost of capital. Is this situation sustainable for fixed and mobile operators? Are we delivering fit-for-purpose services to users? What are the best tactical and strategic responses to OTT services? Can the coming world of cloud services restore the previous vibrancy we saw with voice and messaging?

As the world becomes more interconnected, integrated and intelligent, mobile broadband is playing an ever-increasing role in changing the way people live, work and communicate. This emerging trend brings benefits but also risks and vulnerabilities. The volume and sophistication of mobile attacks is increasing. There is evidence that mobile device malware — viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware — has been on the rise over the past few years because most mobile platforms do not yet have native mechanisms to detect malware. Malware threats result in personal losses, corporate costs and economic damage, including damage to national reputation and credibility. The security of mobile devices and networks has therefore become a top concern at corporate, industrial, national and international levels. Governments and regulators have an important role in coping with the mobile security challenges that have been arising. However, close international cooperation is required in order to effectively combat cybersecurity threats.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is looking into consumer protection, and will incorporate and share common policies on mobile security by 2015.

Resilient ICT for disaster relief

Information and communication systems were damaged extensively during the east Japan earthquake on 11 March 2011, with some of them ceasing to function. This failure highlighted the importance of such systems within social infrastructure. The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) of Japan has a wealth of experience that can throw light on the challenges for national disaster relief projects in Japan as well as in Thailand.

Visionary keynote with Telenor: leapfrogging into a digital future for all

Mobile connectivity and digital communication has become part of our everyday life. Being connected is what enables us to work, play and take part in society. Mobile phones not only mean freedom, they also mean opportunity and growth. Mobile connectivity is not a luxury good for the few — it is a necessity for everyone.

In preparing its market entry into Myanmar, Telenor Group puts 15 years of experience in Asia to the test. Eager for growth and change, this frontier market aims to leapfrog the mobile development chain and enter the digital age faster than any country has ever done before. This presents a range of opportunities, but also a set of challenges.

Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group, one of the top ten mobile operators in the world and a leading operator in the Asia region, shares his perspectives on reaching the mass market and enabling emerging nations to leapfrog to an inclusive digital future — a digital future for all.